This invention relates to billfolds, portfolios, books and the like, in general, and to an improvement in the ease of their readings, in particular.
As is well known in the restaurant industry, eating establishments range in quality from elegant 5-star restaurants to bistros oftentimes characterized by critics as nothing more than xe2x80x9cgreasy spoonsxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94the one serving continental delicacies and the other serving what almost amounts to xe2x80x9cblue-plate specialsxe2x80x9d. Whereas the posh establishment is typified by waiters in formal wear, the other is frequently characterized by servers dressed in jeans outfits. While the upscale restaurant may serve fine wine, the other may have available what connoisseurs would only refer to as xe2x80x9cvinegarxe2x80x9d. While service in the more-expensive establishment may be romantic, by candlelight, the service in the others may be garish, under fluorescent lighting. On the other handxe2x80x94and as will be appreciated by anyone who has had the occasion to visit both types of placesxe2x80x94the very bright illumination which interferes with the quiet of an interlude, at the same time makes it far easier to read a menu, or wine listxe2x80x94whose content, many times, is written in words less pronounceable and understandable than roast chicken, fried shrimp or chopped steak. In actuality, the candle lit atmosphere of the high-end restaurant frequently makes a reading of a wine list, a menu or the presented bill at the end of the meal difficult at best, and almost impossible at worst.
As will become clear from the following description, the teachings of the present invention will be seen to be applicable not only to the billfold, menu and wine list environments of the restaurant industry, but as to those of the book, magazine and portfolio industries as well. Thus, and as will be described, the present invention will be appreciated to focus additional illumination to that which is being read, and substantially only at the time when the printed information is being reviewed. In this manner, the soft, quiet atmosphere of the dimly lit scene can be maintained, except when the printed material needs to be read.
Particularly, in accordance with the invention, a page of printed information content is to be included between the front and back covers which support it. A first source of illumination affixed to at least one of the covers adjacent to one of its edge surfaces is included, along with a notch in the other of the front and back covers opposing that source to enable closing of the page substantially flat when the covers are folded toward one anotherxe2x80x94as when closing a menu, a wine list or the billfold holding the restaurant check. At the same time, an electronic switch is included to automatically energize the source of illumination to illuminate the page of printed information content only when the front and back covers are folded away from one anotherxe2x80x94as when opening the menu, the wine list or the billfold. As will be appreciated, depending upon the design selected, the illumination may commence when the covers are opened from side-to-side, or when opened from bottom-to-top (depending upon the construction), with the shutting off of the illumination occurring when the covers are folded closed. In accomplishing this, the present invention incorporates a battery (be it a watch battery, a calculator battery or otherwise), along with a position sensor to automatically energize the source of illumination only in response to the folding away of the two covers employed.
In accordance with the embodiment of the invention utilized in a billfold, the battery may be enclosed within its back cover, where the position sensor includes cooperating parts affixed at opposing points on inside surfaces of each of the front and back covers respectively. There, the page of printed information may be included atop the inside surface of the back cover to which the source of illumination is affixed (as with the restaurant check, for example), and in which the check is removable from the inside surface once it has been paid, for reuse of the billfold by the proprietor. In such instance, an overhang may be provided to the source of illuminationxe2x80x94typically a small light bulbxe2x80x94to direct the light downwardly so as to facilitate its reading. A coverlet may also be provided to hold the check in place until removed.
For reading a menu or wine list, on the other handxe2x80x94where descriptions and prices are printed on both left and right hand sides of the pagexe2x80x94, a second source of illumination may be provided at the bottom of the inside surface of the front cover, so that one source illuminates downwardly while the other source illuminates upwardly. In effectuating this, according to the invention, however, a notch is provided opposite the one or both illumination sources so as to enable the closing of the page of written content substantially flat when folding the covers toward one another. Thus, and as will be described below, where two sources of illumination are employed, the notch in the front cover would overlie the illumination source on the back cover when they are folded together, as would the notch in the back cover overlie the illumination source on the front cover to give the ultimately flat appearance when closed. Further, in this respect, as long as the notch in the one overlies the source of illumination affixed to the other, such flat look results whether the folding be from side-to-side (i.e., left-to-right) or top-to-bottom, or vice versa, in closing.
In carrying out these functions, a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a battery enclosed within one or both of the front and back covers, electrical interconnections between the source(s) of illumination and the battery, and an electrical switch in the nature of a position sensor to automatically energize either or both sources depending upon the construction, essentially only in response to the folding away of the front and back covers. Such position sensor may, as will be readily appreciated, include cooperating parts affixed at opposing points on the inside surfaces of each of the front and back covers, located such that upon the folding of the covers together, not only does (do) the notch(es) overlie the source(s) of illumination, but orient the cooperating parts of the sensor to touch and thereby disconnect the battery from the illumination source(s). Conversely, and as will be seen, folding away the covers separate the cooperating parts of the position sensor in connecting the battery to the source(s) of illumination in providing the extra lighting then being offered.
Where the page of written content constitutes printed information in a book, a magazine, a portfolio, a menu or wine list, for example, the embodiment of the invention utilizing sources of illumination on inside surfaces of both the front and back covers would obviously be more desirable. Where the teachings of the invention are to be employed in a billfold housing a restaurant check, on the other hand, only a single source of illumination might be required, on that inside surface where the check rests once laid downxe2x80x94usually on the right hand inside surface of the back cover. In such version of the invention, a coverlet may be included, at a bottom edge of the inside surface of the back cover, to hold the check in place until removal. In this version of the inventionxe2x80x94as well as that version wherein a second source of illumination is employedxe2x80x94overhangs may additionally be used to direct the illumination towards the printed content, as directing the illumination downwardly from a source affixed at a top edge of the back cover, and upwardly from an illumination source affixed at a bottom edge of the front cover. In either configuration, as noted above, the notch continues to be cut into the adjacent cover so as to overlie the illumination source when the front and back covers are folded closed, in continuing to maintain the flat appearance of the billfold, portfolio, book and the like. And, whereas the battery employed may be housed in the preferred embodiment set out in the back cover of the described configuration, it will be apparent that being as small as a watch battery or calculator battery, it may be included instead within the front cover of the combination, or in both front and back covers where two sources of illumination are employed, if so desired in that type of manufacture.